Classics Commons^™

Encyclopedia Of Hispanic Linguistics, Eva Núñez-Méndez

World Languages and Literatures Faculty Publications and Presentations

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Celtic Romanization: Cultural Assimilation Or Cultural Exchange?, Shawn Lee

Young Historians Conference

The rise of the Roman Empire created not only a military but also a cultural hegemony over colonized populations. While this interaction is often portrayed as a primarily unidirectional process of cultural assimilation, this may not be the case for Celtic peoples following their colonization in the mid first century BC. An examination of Roman perception of Celtic culture, perceived compatibility of Celtic culture, and mixed Romano-Celtic culture indicates that the cultural exchange between Romans and Celts was bi-directional.

The Roman Army: Strategy, Tactics, And Innovation, Weiyi Zhou

Young Historians Conference

The Roman Empire at its peak covered millions of square miles of ground, encompassing a vast variety of cultures of people. In order to ensure continued peace and stability in such a mammoth multiethnic empire, the Roman Army was forced to engage and repel a variety of foreign opponents utilizing different tactics across a wide spectrum of terrain, from Macedonian phalanxes on flat plains to Gallic barbarian hordes on forested ground. Simultaneously, the Roman Army also had to avoid compromising internal stability and maintain a force capable of putting down a large range of insurrectionist forces. Even today, with the …

The Pursuit Of Pleasure: An Intersection Between Aristotle's Poetics And Sixteenth Century Renaissance Music, Eliza M. Kamerling-Brown

Young Historians Conference

Aristotle’s Poetics is unparalleled as one of the most translated texts in history. The Greek philosopher’s cross-cultural influence can be traced through the evolution of countless practices over time, ranging from Late Antiquity to philosophy of mind to political theory. Yet far beyond the work’s commonly-known political, dramatic and philosophical influences, the components of Poetics were essential in shaping the distinctive style of sixteenth century renaissance music, a medium whose aim of reviving the ethical power of the ancient past has helped Aristotelian concepts survive through the centuries.

The Dichotomy Of Pudicitia, Amber L. Harvey

Young Historians Conference

The lives of women in the Roman Republic were incredibly restricted and controlled by their male counterparts, yet key counters to this restriction are often overlooked, mainly that of a woman’s pudicitia. Pudicitia was a defining moral quality that encompassed state, familial, sexual, and other duties, a woman held in society. These qualities, are shown in the mythical Rape of the Sabines, and allow female participation in the Conflict of the Orders and the defiance of the Vestal Virgins. These allowances are countered by aspects of pudicitia that restricted rights and participation, ultimately yielding a system that paradoxically encouraged …

Christianity's Influence On Attitudes Toward Homosexuality In The Roman Empire, Jennie Jiang

Young Historians Conference

Attitudes towards sexuality are deeply influenced by the intricate interplay between religion and social values. How do polytheistic and monotheistic societies differ in how they view sexuality? In the pre-Christian days of the early Roman Empire, polytheism fostered a remarkable tolerance toward both same-sex relations and various expressions of sexuality, as evident in social expectations, literature, and written law. In contrast, a closer examination of the Roman Empire’s transition from a polytheistic to Christian society in the 4^th and 5^th centuries reveals that the rise of Christianity corresponded with, and likely contributed to, increasingly strict attitudes towards homosexuality.

Livia's Power In Ancient Rome, Tori L. Allen

Young Historians Conference

When one thinks of the ancient Roman heroes, Caesar and Augustus come to mind. We picture Roman men on the front lines in culture and society, while the women are kept back and oppressed. And while women definitely faced obstacles in ancient Rome, it didn't stop them from making an impact. This paper argues that Livia, wife of Roman emperor Augustus, was able to secretly manipulate politics in Rome as a mother and a wife, as seen in honorific statues, Ovid's poetry, and honorific titles.

Power Structure, Nathaniel Klein

Young Historians Conference

By today's standards morally reprehensible subjects are difficult to examine, however, from a historical perspective topics such as infanticide offer insight into individual behavior, therefore reflecting societal norms. This paper explores the practice of infanticide used during the course of the 7th century BCE to reinforce the power structures of the period. Infanticide was far more than a simple way to dispose of unwanted offspring; it was a tool that was used by ancient Greek societies to maintain systems of control and promote social values upon which society depended.

The Enigma Of The Spartan Woman, Jalena M. Post

Young Historians Conference

Active in both social and economic spheres, Spartan women possessed much more mobility than their counterparts in Athens. In the areas of education, the arts, land ownership, marriage, and family life, the women of Sparta enjoyed a large amount of sovereignty when compared to other ancient societies. The absence of Spartan men during almost constant times of war necessitated women taking on more responsibility than they would have otherwise, but to what extent? This paper strives to characterize the unique role of the women of Sparta during the classical period of Greek history, especially as in contrast to their Athenian …

The Sovereign Wolf: Feudal Tension And Noble Animal Changes In William Of Palerne, Charis Woodward

Anthós

Translated into Middle English from the twelfth century octosyllabic French Guillaume de Palerne, William of Palerne was commissioned by Sir Humphrey IX de Bohun, and composed by poet William, whom we know little about (Bunt, ll. 166). The problem with reading William of Palerne lies not within the constructed alliterative long lines, but in knowing howto read it. The intended audience for the translation of William of Palernehas been a topic of debate since the early nineteenth century. William writes his poem "in ese of Englysch men in Englysch speche" as stated in his introduction (ll. 168). …

Not All Were Created Equal, Sarah Cox

Young Historians Conference

This paper explores the exceptional social, political and economic status afforded to women in Sparta by their society. Women were not simply relegated to the domestic sphere in Sparta, their responsibilities included managing both public and private affairs in the absence of their husbands, brothers and fathers. Their collective role in society allowed them to contribute to and serve their city state. It asserts that women in Sparta, unlike their contemporaries in other ancient Greek city states, had more opportunities to affect the overall impact of Sparta as a dominate military power.

Renaissance Courtesy And Book Vi Of The Faerie Queene, Matthew S. Martini

Dissertations and Theses

Book VI of Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene, with its chivalric and pastoral characteristics, has confounded critics for several generations. This thesis provides a chronological reading of Book VI that addresses many of its problems in the context of conduct manuals such as Baldassare Castiglione's The Book of the Courtier and Stefano Guazzo's Civile Conversation. Rather than dismiss many of the tensions and contradictions in the text, this study seeks to embrace them by interpreting them with Mikhail Bakhtin's theory of dialogism as expressed in The Dialogic Imagination.

In chapter one, connections are made between the opening …

Transgression And Limits In Euripides' Alkestis, Leshu Torchin

Anthós Journal (1990-1996)

This paper seeks to understand Euripides' Alkestis in the terms of the transgression described by both Michel Foucault and Longinus. The first section explores transgression as a process that erases the prior limits in order to reconstruct and redefine them. During this process, limits and boundaries are stripped away. A period of horror and liminality ensues in which the meaning of boundaries comes into question. The second section examines the positionality of death as the primary limit that frames the events of the tragedy. The third Section explores the deteriorating functionality of the gender roles held by Admetus and Alkestis. …

Protean Aspects Of Change In Euripides' Medea, Phillip Wilson

Anthós Journal (1990-1996)

By drawing on the Homeric tradition, Euripides creates an image of Medea as epic hero with aspects of both Achilles and Odysseus. But this is not enough. As this paper shows, ultimately the portrait that emerges of Medea is that of Proteus. In addition, this paper asserts that not only is Medea a protean figure, but the very shape of the drama that Euripides concocts is protean as well. He shapeshifts the traditional aspects of the tragedy he transforms the form.

Allusions To Homer In The Protagoras, Aaron Johnson

Anthós Journal (1990-1996)

This paper traces Plato’s allusions to Homer in the Protagoras. What might seem to be surface details are, in fact, shown to both augment and support the dialogues underlying theme of the nature of virtue. By tracing these seemingly surface details, this paper shows just how Socrates goes about teaching virtue.

Alteration To Exaltation In Euripides' Medea, Jennifer Blakeslee

Anthós Journal (1990-1996)

Euripides’s Medea keeps certain aspects of traditional Greek tragedy while radically altering others. This paper shows how he changes the character of Medea into a commentary against both the restrictions of the Greek tragic and epic norms and the ignorance of women upheld in these traditions. In the end, both Euripides and Medea saw the frailty of tradition as compared to the exaltation of individual experience.

Plato's Protagoras: Myth And Democracy On Trial, David Johnson

Anthós Journal (1990-1996)

This paper traces how the use of a trial in Plato’s Protagoras serves to highlight the issues of Myth and Democracy; one might even say to put them on trial. While the Protagoras is a complicated work, some aspects of its underlying themes are quite clear. For Plato, democracy pales in comparison to the philosopher-king, and the Protagoras’s structure enables Plato to set up Socrates as just such a figure.

Explication Of Plato's Protagoras, Keri Mcmurry

Anthós Journal (1990-1996)

In the Protagoras, Plato presents a view of the Classical Greek social and political structures, as well as personal attitudes and morals, by implying them through the narrative frame rather than explicitly stating them. The allusions to Homer throughout the Protagoras fuel this sense of the Classical Greek. Neither the structure nor the philosophical arguments, when taken alone, give a complete sense of the Protagoras. But when combined, a complex view of the Classical Greek world is achieved

Oikos And Polis In The Medea: Patterns Of The Heart And Mind, Debra Blankenship

Anthós Journal (1990-1996)

In Euripides’s The Medea, the dichotomy of traditional values associated with oikos and polis serves as a means by which to comment on the issues of fifth century Athenian life. This paper shows how oikos the private domain) and polis (the public domain) come to be separate and conflicting concepts in the democracy of Athens. Euripides shaped The Medea around the idea of Medea throwing off the bonds of oikos as a result of her desire for revenge on Jason. Medea knowingly denies the bonds of oikos in order to assert her power. This paper finishes with a nod towards …

Monsters Of Antithesis, Melody Leming-Wilson

Anthós Journal (1990-1996)

This paper traces and interrogates the multiple theories of matriarchy that have arisen in recent years and then turns to the Greek myths to show how matriarchies functioned in this literature. The theories of matriarchy often stem from the pre-Hellenic stories of matriarchy shown in Greek myths. In addition, these theories often suggest that the colonizing force of Indo-Europeans changed these myths into patriarchical ones. The Amazonian women can be seen to upset the patriarchal myth in important and interesting ways which suggest a matriarchal underpinning to their society. The question of whether a historical matriarchy actually existed is shown …

The Gorgias Explained, Dan Zajdel

Anthós Journal (1990-1996)

In Plato’s The Gorgias, five forms of language serve to explicitly inaugurate Socrates as a mythic hero. This paper traces these forms, along with allusions to myth and the known body of literature at the time, and shows how Plato achieves his goal.

Protagoras: Recollection Of Return, Roger Zemke

Anthós Journal (1990-1996)

The Homeric forms that Plato uses as a template for the Dialogues all contribute to a fictional recasting of the historical figure of Socrates as an epic Hero: the philosopher-king. This paper traces the idea of a recollection of return in the Protagoras as a means by which Plato creates this fictional image of Socrates. The traditional Greek notion of agon, with all its attendant functions and forms, helps Plato reveal a Socrates whose divine right as a philosopher-king would be the best hope for a return to the power and glory of Athens.

Homer In Virgil, Thomas Kerns

Anthós Journal (1990-1996)

This paper argues that the biggest influence on Virgil’s Aeneid was Homer’s epics. By tracing Homer’s influence on the Aeneid, there is a heightened sense of the reasons underlying the themes in Virgil’s writing. One of Virgil’s main purposes in writing the Aeneid is to identify Augustus with Aeneas. In the end, this paper suggests that not only are the influences of Homer important for an understanding of the Aeneid, but in fact are vital for it to accomplish its goals.

Power Bitches Of Ancient Greece, Jennifer Ingram

Anthós Journal (1990-1996)

This paper takes the form of a transcript of the Sally Jessy Raphael show on which Nancy Reagan answers questions about Women in ancient Greek Epics. Specifically, this transcript focuses on Medea (as shown by Euripides) and Clytemnestra (from the Agamemnon by Aeschylus). The focus is on strong “masculine” women and how the story of lover’s revenge is played out by both characters.

The Protagoras: Judge ... Jury ... And Explication, Patrick Hamilton

Anthós Journal (1990-1996)

The idea of a trial is a strong aspect of the structure of Socrates’s direct conversation with Protagoras in Plato’s Protagoras. Each character in the dialogue assumes a particular role within the trial, with Socrates not as accused but as questioner. This paper uses the trial concept as a means in which to get inside the Protagoras and pry open the differing aspects of its characters.

Euripides: Master Of The Discrepant Event, Osa Skyberg

Anthós Journal (1990-1996)

In Euripides’s Medea, a seemingly normative form of a traditional Greek tragedy is disturbed by a disruptive layer that shakes the audience to its core. Integral to the story of Medea is her revenge on Jason. One knows this, but Euripides adds a disruptive layer that increases the tragic tension of the story. This disruptive layer is the killing of innocent boys by their mother. And not only that, but the Mother being rewarded for this act. This paper shows how Euripides takes the traditional form of the Greek tragedy, adds disruptive layers, and makes the form his own.

The Judicial Message In Seneca's Apocolocyntosis, Sylvia Gray Kaplan

Dissertations and Theses

Seneca's Apocolocyatosis is a satire on the deceased emperor Claudius, probably written in the early months after his death in AD54. Although the authorship and title of the work have been called into question, scholars have now reached a consensus that the satire was written by Seneca and is titled "Apocolocyatosis." Its purpose, characteristic of the Menippean genre, was didactic.

Although the meaning of the Apocolocyatosis has often been discussed, few have emphasized the predominance of the legal theme, when in fact the legal motif is the key to interpreting this work. The work satirizes Claudius particularly in …

Perception And Power, Marisela F. Nyoka

Anthós Journal (1990-1996)

In Virgil’s Aeneid, the hero is epic enough but is importantly different enough from the tradition of the Greek epic hero to warrant investigation. At the crux of it is that Virgil utilizes a Roman approach to the Greek cosmos. Thus the hero reflects the political changes and moods of the times. This paper traces how Virgil’s use of language constructs this Roman vision of the Greek cosmos. In the end it suggests that humans in Virgil’s world have a greater task than they did before and that only the pious will survive.

Explication: The Cratylus, Joseph S. Gray

Anthós Journal (1990-1996)

Plato’s Cratylus is a dialogue on language involving Cratylus, Hermogenes, and Socrates. The issue at hand involves the correctness and truth in names and whether modification of names changes their meaning. This paper reflects on how the Cratylus presents Socrates’s argument and then goes on to suggest that Plato’s description of Socrates’s use of myth suggests that he was subtly pointing out the human-like quality of gods and the godlike qualities of man. For Plato all of this is framed and informed by the discussion of truth in naming.

The Phaedo: A Painting In Three Parts, Sharon Parker

Anthós Journal (1990-1996)

This paper argues that Plato’s Phaedo might be interestingly viewed as a painting: a landscape in three parts. This triptych is unified through the central question of the immortality of the human soul. This paper traces this conception of the Phaedo through an interrogation of the textual markers that might lead to an understanding of the whole. In the end, The Phaedo is seen as ascending from the corporeal to the ethereal.